Rally against gun violence includes CO theater survivor

NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) -

The push continues for new gun control laws despite the legislation's defeat in Congress. Several different groups are now taking their message on the road, and one of them held a big event Wednesday in Nashville.

The "No More Names" bus tour, which includes a survivor of the Colorado theater massacre and the sister of a teacher killed in Newtown, presented a simple but controversial message at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park.

"Change needs to be made. Not just for my family and the other families, but for everyone that's been affected by gun violence," said Carlee Soto, sister of Sandy Hook victim Victoria Soto.

The bus tour will visit 25 states over 100 days. In Nashville, the group put pressure on Tennessee's senators to support comprehensive background checks for gun show, and online gun purchases.

"I think an issue of this magnitude, of this scale, where so many people are killed a year, deserves more than just a passing vote," said Stephen Barton, who survived the Aurora movie theater shooting.

Though plenty of people supported change, some stood instead on the other side of the issue.

"If they wanted to really make a difference, they would enforce the laws we have," said gun rights supporter Teri Curatalo. "There's always going to be violence, and until you change their hearts, you know, nothing's going to change."

Curatalo came from Mt. Juliet to challenge the group's position, calling this tour "exploitative" on those who died and those left to cope with it.

"I think it's propaganda. I'm sad for the people that have lost people. I'm sad that they're being used in a way to promote something that I feel they really don't have the facts on," Curatalo said.

Several local people took part in the rally, including the mother of a teen shot and killed shortly after his high school graduation.